April 2025 Newsletter

Dedicated to the art of woodworking since 1984.









SLWG April 2025 Newsletter

Next Meeting:
6:45 PM Thursday, April 17th 
Moolah Shrine Center, Oasis Room
12545 Fee Fee Rd, St. Louis, MO  63146

NO SHOW & TELL THIS MEETING!!!

President’s Letter

Well, it’s April and the last month of my 2nd term as Guild President and maybe the start of my 3rd term.

I have to say this year went by fast.  Taking over the membership has really been fun and after I’m done with how many more years of bring president I can take; I’m keeping the membership role.  I still need help at the start of the meeting at the badge table.

I have appointed a chairman for the mentorship program, Mary Ellison.  Mary is making great progress after a few hiccups.  The new survey has gone out and she is getting responses.  If you haven’t responded, please take a minute and answer the survey.  Be on the lookout for additional information on this.

I’m loving the participation for “Show and Tell” but we have a full business agenda so won’t be having show and tell this month.  That being said, if there is time left at the end of the meeting and anyone brings show and tell, I won’t turn you away.

This year we are trying something different, instead of a picnic we are having a year-end holiday party at the November meeting.  Members and your families will be invited.   More information will be coming on this gathering. 

If I’m re-elected to a third term, we will keep the program for presentations by our membership who want to share your talents.   We’ve had great response so far and I want to keep it up.  If you have a special talent or a technique you want to demonstrate, we would love for you to share your knowledge.    

Stay safe in the shop,

Brian Ellison


When choosing lumber, be it domestic or exotic hardwood, Visit Andrew and the team at U-Pick Hardwoods in St. Charles Mo.
U Pick hardwoods offers guild members a 10% Discount with your current membership card.


Beaver Industrial Supply has name-brand woodworking tools engineered to make your shop more productive. We carry a full range of products like high-end saws, planers, sanders, lathes, joiners, drills and dust extractors.  Shop products from Axiom, Fein, Festool, Jet, Kreg, Powermatic, Laguna Tools, Skilsaw and more!

THIS MONTH’S PROGRAM
(In-Person Presentation and Livestream)


Business Meeting
Reports
Officer and Director Election

with

Guild President Brian Ellison

If you can’t make it to this month’s meeting in-person, here is the LINK for streaming.

NOTE:  The online streaming this month will not include the Business Reports or Election portions of the meeting.

LAST MONTH’S PROGRAM


Tuning up the Bandsaw using the Alex Snodgrass Method

with

Brian Ellison

Our video tech crew was able to focus in on the tasks Brian was demonstrating so that everyone in the room had a great view.  Brian reminded us of the usefulness of a small clamp when reinstalling bandsaw blades.

If you could not make it to last month’s meeting in-person, here is the LINK for streaming.

Nominating Committee Report
 
Voting for open positions on the SLWG Board and Officers will be done by the Members at the April Business Meeting. Nominations from the Nominating Committee were presented at the March Meeting. The Nominating Committee will again announce their Nominations at the April Business Meeting and will ask for and accept nominations from the floor prior to the elections.

Bob Kastigar mans the Cap and Apron sale table.  Aprons are priced at $40 and Caps at $20.While cash is the preferred method of payment, checks or credit cards might be accepted if the Treasurer is present.
(BTW, that’s not Bob sporting the cap in the photo)

Crafted for durability, these items are ideal for daily use in the shop or when representing the Guild at events, such as the woodworking show.

Donate to the St. Louis Woodworkers Guild HERE

SHOW AND TELL

Keith Lissant showed a dragon mobile that he scroll-sawed from oak with walnut veneer under the wings.

Sketch that Keith worked from.

Tom Tierney showed a couple of tables that were destined for the HSH program.

One had the spindle legs with wedged through-tenon joinery. The spindles were donated by Ron Bontz.

Here is walnut Table #61 by Hal Donovan.

Tom made a handy mobile base for a new shop vac dust separator that will be installed on the miter saw in the Faust Park Shop.

Dan Sudkamp brought in some toys and a dragon coin bank that he made for the toy programs.

Todd Martin showed his simple walnut speaker stands that he made from wood harvested off of his property.

Bob Kastigar thought he might get a jump on future needs he might have with these hickory walking sticks with walnut decorative veneer.  Getting the right taper was a challenge but he was able to get it to his satisfaction on the second one.  Also, fitting the handles to a comfortable shape for his hand required a significant amount of “hand” sanding.

John Markiel brought in a collapsible basket / trivet made from one continuous cut on the bandsaw, the key part of which is setting the correct angle on the bandsaw table.

Jim Grayson pointed out that this Skipjack sailing vessel was not made from a kit.  Making these is not woodcarving nor like making a table.  All of the construction can be done at a desk. Most of the wood was cherry with plank on frame construction.

Jim noted that most of the metal hardware was made from wire.  A lot of patience and attention to detail is required to complete a masterpiece like this.

Jeff Nasser brought in a reproduction antique pepper mill that he constructed from black walnut.

HSH Projects from Tom Tierney‘s shop:

Nightstand made from 2 repurposed table leaves with wedge through-tenons.  The legs were made from 4 repurposed bowl gouge handles.

Dining table made from 5 1/2 repurposed table leaves.  Mortise and tenon joinery was used in the base construction.

TOOL RECALLS
and Other Videos

Check these links out if you have these items (some might be a little dated):

DeWalt Miter Saw Recall LINK

Grizzley Children’s Tool Kits Recall LINK

Makita Cordless Hedge Trimmer Recall LINK

Harbor Freight Miter Saw Blade Guard Recall Article LINK

COMMUNITY

St. Louis Woodworkers Guild contributions to the local community
 

Holiday Toy Program
Members were busy building toys over the holidays and early this year.  We now have 447 toys in inventory and starting to get more items in process. Toys are built on the first and third Fridays of the month in the shop from 10 to 2.  Everyone is welcome.
 
Wayne Humphrey

  Toy Committee Update
 

Thank you to all who have built toys and contributed to this important program. 

We have a new Toy Chairman, Bob Baird!  Bob will be at the meeting to collect toys and provide toy parts.  Please let him know ahead of time about parts needs.

Toy Committee

2025 Toy Report

Toy Tally

Collected
March — 337
YTD — 337

Delivered
March– 25
YTD — 25
Since 1994 — 89,063

2025 Toy Program Major Contributors

Over 100 Club
Linda Turner — 157
William Marsek — 100

Over 50 Club
Dan Sudkamp — 74

NEW CONTRIBUTORS
Your name could appear here!!
 

2025 Target and Challenge

Target for Delivered Items:  4,000

0.06% ACHIEVED

10% Member Participation Target

(40 Members)

11% ACHIEVED
4 Members
(Total Guild Members 402)

Organizations that we currently donate toys to include:

BJC Children’s Hospital
Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
Hawthorn Children’s Psych. Hosp.
LifeWise STL
Mercy Hospital

Peace Pantry Cedar Hill
RankenJordan Ped. Bridge Hospital
Rockwood School District
Shriners Hospitals for Children
Toys for Tots

Toy Committee

Bob Baird, Chair
Paul Bailey
Hal Donovan

Charles Schrock
Grady Vaughan

Please contact us with comments, suggestions or if you need to arrange pickup or delivery of toys. Individual contact info can be found on the Members Only section of the SLWG website HERE.

HSH Table Build Community Outreach

Thank you to all the HSH Outreach Program participants. The Guild cannot do it without your willingness to volunteer your time and talents.

Information about our HSH table program and sample table measured drawings can be found on our website under the Community Service tab, HomeSweetHome. LINK HERE

Please contact me at the meeting or call, text, or email me if you are interested in building a table(s).

Watch for an email regarding an HSH Shop Workday.

Tom Tierney
(314) 412-1817
tmtierney@gmail.com

Talley to 3/31/25:
                                    Current Month             Current Year          Program Total
Dining Tables                       1                                 10                          33
End Tables/Sofa Server       6                               143                        327
Coffee Tables                       4                                 21                          33
Night Stands                        1                                   1                            5

Total                                    12                              175                        398

Total Tables by Year

FY 2022-2023                           102
FY 2023-2024                           121
FY 2024-2025 (12 Months)       175

Grand Total for Program           398

FY 2024-2025 Target and Challenge

Target for Delivered Tables:  130

135% ACHIEVED

 
Table of Recognition
Below are the Members who have built five or more tables in the last 12 months.

5 +
Karl D’Arcy
Jim Hessburg
Grady Vaughan
Leo Weisman

10 +
Alan Brown
Paul Hellenbrand

20 +
Tom Tierney

30+
Hal Donovan

40+
Charles Schrock

UPCOMING MEETING PRESENTATIONS

April 17                       Business Meeting          Election of Officers
May 15                        Matt Wallace                  Wallace Woodmills
June 19                       Gary Roux                     Wood Collecting with the
                                                                          Society of Wood Collectors
July 17                         TBA                                TBA
August 21                   Adam Conner                Joinery
September 18            Mary May                       Mary May’s School of
                                                                         Traditional Woodcarving
 

Woodworking Classes

Held at Faust Park Workshop

Upcoming Classes
April 27           Ellison          Basic/Intermediate Scroll Saw Class
May 3             Schuchat      Fundamentals of Woodworking

See the Full Schedule on the SLWG Website HERE.

Faust Park Workshop Information

  • To participate in the Workshop Safety Class or use the shop, you must have paid the current year Guild dues and have your current membership card with appropriate marking.
  • To use the Guild Workshop during open hours, you must have passed a Workshop Safety Class. 

May  “Open Shop”  Hours
May 4                      9 am – 5 pm

May 6 & 7              10 am – 2 pm

May 10                     9 am – 5 pm

May 13 & 14           10 am – 2 pm

May 17 & 18            9 am – 5 pm

May 19 & 20          10 am – 2 pm

May 4                      9 am – 5 pm

Next Shop Safety Class
When:
   Thursday, May 1st, 6:30 pm
       
Where:
           Faust Park Workshop

Duration:
           Plan for 3 Hours

Cost:
         $20 for Current Members

Safety Class attendees must register online and bring their current Guild membership card.
 Limit of 10 per class.
Visit the SLWG website for Safety Class Signup HERE.

Directions: Plug the following address into your GPS or phone: 
1135 Henry Jackson Rd. Chesterfield, MO

Join or Renew your Guild

Membership Today!

Annual Dues Renewals
 

Grace Period
If a membership lapses, a former member can rejoin the guild within 12 months of expiration without having to retake the $20 Shop Safety Class. After 12 months have passed, the individual will be required to Renew membership and retake the $20 safety class.

 

Annual membership renewal is available online (click on button below) with any major credit card, or mail a check for the appropriate amount with member’s name in the memo line to 
St. Louis Woodworkers Guild
P.O. Box 411766
St. Louis, MO 63141-9998
 
Current membership and completion of Safety Class status is required for use of the Faust Park Shop.
 
Annual Membership Dues:

 

Basic Membership            $40
Full Shop Membership      $75
 
A Basic Membership entitles the member to four (4) uses of the Guild Shop during the membership year.  
A Shop Membership entitles the member to unlimited use of the shop during Open Shop hours.

Member benefits also include:
 

                      > Discounts at Guild sponsors
                      > Access to Project Workshops 
                      > Access to a local community of woodworkers
                      > Access to the secure portion of the website

See the SLWG Website for signing up!

Click here to pay dues online

WELCOME to NEW MEMBERS

David Aten
Richard Baxter
Jack Emms
Laura Fisher
John Griesman

Alan Henderson
Mary May
James Miller
Al Sher

If you are a current or retired Boeing employee you can contribute to the St. Louis Woodworker’s guild through the Boeing Gift Match program.  The guild is now an approved charitable organization with the Boeing program.  As an employee participant, your donation of $25.00 USD or more or the equivalent volunteer hours of 25 hours or more will be matched 1:1 by Boeing.  The maximum individual contribution is $6,000.00 or 6,000 volunteer hours.  Your contribution is tax deductible as long as you follow three simple steps:

Step 1:  Eligible Boeing employees or retirees first make a contribution directly to the guild

Step 2:  After making your donation go to Total Access and click on My Community Giving – GIVE – Gift Match on the Boeing Gift Match page.

Step 3:  Register your donation whether it’s monetary or volunteer hours and select The St. Louis Woodworker’s Guild and enter the total amount and the date of the contribution.

It’s that easy, you get a great tax break and it benefits the guild directly.  If you have any questions, please email Brian Ellison at president@slwg.org and if I don’t know the answer, I will try to find it for you.

SLWG Officers, Board Members and Committee Leaders

President:
Brian Ellison
president@slwg.org

Vice President:
Corey Doner
vicepresident@slwg.org

Secretary:
Adam Conners
secretary@slwg.org

Treasurer:
Joe Turner
treasurer@slwg.org

Directors:
Dan Lender  (exp. 2025)
Hal Donovan (exp. 2026)
TBD (exp. 2027)
Bob Kastigar  (exp. 2028)

Immediate Past President:
Jay Noffsinger

Membership Coordinator:
Brian Ellison (Temp) – membership@slwg.org

IT/Sponsorship/Donations Coordinator:
Todd Martin – donations@slwg.org

IT Administrator:
 it@slwg.org

Webmasters
Aaron Johnson / Jim Becher /
Nick Balogh
webmaster@slwg.org
 

Newsletter Editor:
Grady Vaughan
newsletter@slwg.org

Librarians:
Al Carlson
Sarah Porter

Toy Committee Chair:
Bob Baird
toys@slwg.org

Photographer:
Leo Weisman

Shop Manager:
David Gronefeld

Classes and Workshops Coordinator:
Corey Doner

Program Coordinator:
Corey Doner
 

Our Sponsors

The St. Louis Woodworkers Guild relies heavily on sponsorship to execute on our mission statement of education, community service, and local development. 

Please Patronize our sponsors who support the guild and our mission to encourage and educate members and non-members to enjoy and enrich their woodworking skills and experiences.

Walnut Level sponsor.  Guild members will receive a 10% discount on many items at Rockler.


Pine Level Sponsor.  Guild members will receive a 10% discount on saw sharpening at Quinn Saw.


Pine Level Sponsor.  Learn the art of Traditional Woodcarving with professional woodcarver, Mary May!

Image Credits:
Voting Image by Freepik
 


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St. Louis Woodworkers Guild · PO Box 411766 · Saint Louis, MO 63141-1766 · USA


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